1. Technical Field
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a wave activated power generator and more particularly to a wave activated power generator which highly efficiently converts wave energy into electric energy.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are two ways of generating power using wave energy. In a first method, a wave power generator is constituted by interposing a permanent magnet and a coil between two floating bodies which move relative to each other. In a second method, a wave power generator includes a mass inserted into a single floating body with a permanent magnet and a coil interposed between the mass and the floating body which move relative to each other.
The first method requires two floating bodies that move relative to each other, one of which is secured to the sea bed, and the other of which floats on the surface of waves, and allows the two floating bodies to move relative to each other in a watertight state. Thus, this method has a complicated structure and undergoes difficulty in maintenance and repair.
The second method requires only one floating body secured to the sea bed and provides a watertight structure to the floating body. Therefore, the second method has a simple structure and facilitates maintenance and repair as compared with the first method, and thus is more applicable to a waver power generator than the first method.
According to the second method, in order to increase a vertical shifting amount (amplitude) of the mass, the mass is supported by an elastic member in the floating body and an un-damped natural frequency of the elastic member is matched with the frequency of waves, which increasingly vibrate the mass, to generate resonance between the elastic member and the waves, thereby maximizing the vertical shifting amount of the mass and increasing power generating efficiency. One example using the second method is disclosed in
A plurality of such wave power generators generating resonance is disposed in the coastal area and secured to the sea bed through an anchor and wires to prevent the wave power generators from drifting in a direction of waves.
However, the weight of a chain secured at one end thereof to the anchor and at the other end to the floating body disturbs upward motions of the floating body caused by waves, thereby reducing the vertical shifting amount of the floating body.
Further, since the anchor is secured to a concrete structure placed in the sea bed, it is considerably slow and difficult for workers to move the resonance-type wave power generator to land or a ship for maintenance and repair thereof or to transfer for installation to a place with big waves from a place with tiny waves.